40 
Continuous Corn Growing. 
possess further marked advantages, inasmuch as the clover root 
enriches the soil in nitrogen, and, by its decay, when the ley is 
broken up, supplies food to the succeeding corn crop. 
It is not, however, after every sixth or seventh corn crop 
that Mr. Prout takes clover ; he is guided entirely by the 
condition of the land. As soon as this shows signs of getting 
foul, clover is taken, or beans are sown, and occasionally 
sainfoin ; or, if necessary, a bare fallow and summer cleaning 
intervene. Nor does Mr. Prout bind himself as to the 
number or kind of cereal crops which he takes in succession ; 
here again he is guided by the condition of the land and 
by the tendency of the market, as to whether he follows 
wheat by wheat, or wheat by barley or by oats. Clover is not 
taken on the same land more than once in eight years. Oats 
are grown for the horses, but not to any large extent, while 
roots have never formed any part in the farming ; no bullocks 
or sheep are kept on the farm, and no farmyard manure is 
used for the general crops ; the only live stock kept are the 
eleven working horses, and a few pigs, and what manure 
they make is used for a solitary patch of mangel near the 
stackyard. 
Resort for manuring has, therefore, to be had entirely to 
artificial manures, of which Mr. Prout is a liberal, though 
economical user. The original recommendations given to 
Mr. Prout, sen., by the late Dr. Yoelcker have been but little 
departed from, though, as the price of corn fell, economy was 
studied in the substitution of mineral superphosphate for 
dissolved bones ; also Peruvian guano, which at first was 
largely employed, mainly for barley, has been somewhat 
reduced, and nitrate of soda more freely used. Potash salts 
have never been specially applied, nor has the lack of potash 
been felt as yet in a soil of this clayey nature. Mr. Prout has 
at various times tried nitrate of soda and sulphate of ammonia 
in comparison with one another, and the results have been 
mostly in favour of the use of nitrate. 
The general manuring at present employed is, per acre : — 
(a) For wheat : — 
4 cwt. mineral superphosphate 
cost, 
say 
£ 
0 
8. 
10 
d. 
0 
lj cwt. nitrate of soda . 
• 
• 
77 
77 
0 
15 
0 
Total cost 
per 
acre, 
say 
£1 
5 
0 
(&) For barley : — 
3 cwt. mineral superphosphate 
cost, 
say 
£ 
0 
s. 
7 
d. 
6 
lj cwt. nitrate of soda . 
• 
• 
77 
77 
0 
15 
0 
Total cost 
per 
acre, 
say 
£1 
2 
6 
